Crow's Ash seedpods in dry rainforest |
Ten Field Nats made their way to Marburg and met
Bob Hampson and his wife Narelle at the park opposite the hotel by 9.00am. Bob,
who is the co-ordinator of West Moreton Landcare welcomed us and began by
telling us a brief history of Marburg. The area had once been highly forested,
with Crow’s ash (Flindersia australis)
(also known as the Australian teak) the signature tree of the region, but
extensive logging over the years has reduced the forest to remnants. One of the
effects of extensive logging has been that the water table rose and with it the
water became more saline, so that the water table, which is only about a metre
deep in places, has made the Black Snake Creek quite salty. We also learned
that at one stage there was a sugar mill in town, with an adjacent refinery as
well as a rum factory, producing 1200-1500 gallons of rum annually. During the
time of the American Civil War, cotton was planted in Marburg, and the first
Kanakas employed in Australia were at Marburg. The cotton experiment did not
last.
After the short introduction to Marburg, we were
taken for a walk around the relatively new walking pathway near the Creek and
the attempts to rehabilitate the Creek with native plantings. The round trip
brought us back to the Park and the end of the first part of our program.
Awaiting us at the Park was Fiona McAdam, a former social worker, a lawyer, an
adoptee of the Yolgnu people in north-east Arnhem Land, now resident of Marburg.
Fiona was recently bitten by an Eastern Brown Snake and survived to tell the
tale. One of the larger remnants of the dry rainforest or vine scrub, as it is
frequently known, is on Fiona’s property.
When we arrived at the scrub, some members
elected not to walk down a slope and went with Fiona, while those that overcame
the first hurdle of a fence, went through the remnant forest with Bob and
Narelle Hampson. They pointed out a number of trees and vines and spoke about
them, and they were very ably aided by our soon-to-be member, Colin Walpole.
What is recorded is a reflection of the paucity of knowledge of the writer and
not of our hosts.
Some of the specimens found in the forest/scrub:
Crow’s Apple (Owenia venosa), Scrub Whitewood (Atalaya salicifolia), Native Holly (Alchornea ilicifolia), Red Kamala (Mallotus philippensis), Small-leaved Fig (Ficus obliqua), Celery Wood (Polyscias
elegans), Rough-leaved Elm (Aphananthe philippensis), Foambark (Jagera
pseudorhus), Red Olive-Plum (Elaeodendron australe).
Jagera pseudorhus with its fruit and seeds |
Red Olive Plum (Elaeodendron australe) |
Bird List: covers areas visited including Marburg, Black Snake Creek, Fiona McAdam’s Property, Emu Farm.
(compiled by Tricia Allen from Members’ sightings)
Australian Wood Duck, Little
Black Cormorant, Pacific Black Duck, Straw-necked Ibis, Australian White Ibis,
Brown Falcon, Purple Swamp Hen, Masked Lapwing, Crested Pigeon, Spotted Turtle
Dove, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo, Galah, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Fantail Cuckoo
(H), Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Superb Fairy Wren, White-browed
Scrubwren, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lewin’s
Honeyeater, Eastern Yellow Robin, Grey-crowned Babbler, Eastern Whipbird,
Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike Thrush, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Willie
Wagtail, Figbird, Pied Butcherbird, Torresian Crow, Sparrow, Welcome Swallow,
Australian Reed Warbler.
(Report and photos by Francis Mangubhai)
“Try It” Emu Farm
Emu chick - photo by Jean Gundry |
We all have passed this farm many times and
taken a sideways glance at the emus in the field. Sunday’s outing was a good
opportunity to find out how this Australian icon is being used to improve our
health. An emu in the wild can expect a life span of about 70 years. At “Try It”
Emu farm chicks are raised from eggs and the emu oil and meat is harvested
after two years. Eggs are incubated for about 50 days and during this period
the eggs are turned, as a father emu would do in the wild. We tapped and
listened to the eggs to hear the chirp of the chick, almost ready to peck its
way out of its shell. Seven hundred chicks were born at the farm this year
though the expected rate of chick production is 50% as many eggs will be
infertile.
At two years of age, breeding begins and come February
of that year, the emus are at their prime for fat (oil) and are bound for the
abattoir. Sixteen kilograms of fat are harvested very easily as the fat melts
at 35°C and the very lean prime cuts of meat (1-1½ kg
per bird) head to the restaurants. The rest of the meat, as well as the bones,
goes to the pet food industry. Bone marrow and the cartilage are added to the
oil. The skin, however, is usually damaged from the emus’ fighting and not a source
of leather but it is used as a source of gelatine. The only waste is the lower
legs. Emu oil has been proved to be 30 times more powerful that other oils as
it is high in Omega 9, 3, 6, 5 and 7. “Try It” emu oil is tested so that it is
safe for use over a three-year period. It is recommended for arthritis, tennis
elbow and repetitive stress injuries. Ingesting emu oil is said to be good for
lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and for Type 2 diabetes. Some of us
were interested in the ‘Hoof Cream’ on sale in the shop! Stephen Schmidt, the
owner of the emu farm, is the living proof of the efficacy of emu oil. It might
be worth a try if you suffer from any of the above problems.
(Report by Linda Mangubhai)
Fiona McAdam’s Property
Those of us who decided to join Fiona’s group
were able to experience one of Fiona’s favourite locations on her property. We
visited an abandoned home belonging to former owners who built it at least 100
years ago. With no power or running water their life must have been quite basic
by today’s standards. The home was built on the side of a gully which traverses
the property. Several dams are now built along the gully and one can imagine
the plentiful supply of water which would replenish these dams after rain.
Fiona took us along the well treed gully to a very protected area where we were
able to walk along the valley floor. The birds were in fine voice amongst the
wattles, alphitonias, eucalypts etc. As we enjoyed a lovely morning tea
provided by Fiona she showed us photos of the weed management projects she has
been undertaking - waging war on Cats Claw in particular. We really appreciated
this opportunity to share and understand Fiona’s passion for caring for her
special part of the world. Before joining the rest of the group for lunch we
returned to the top of the hill to see an extensive stone wall constructed with
basalt rocks. For the first German settlers, the wall was a pragmatic solution
to several challenges - rocky ground and the need to restrain animals- and the
fact that the wall has stood the test of time is a tribute to their skill.
Stone Wall |
(Report and photo by Jean Gundry)
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